Silent Love
by hpnutter
Summary: ON HOLD. Edward Masen thought his life was over when the Spanish Influenza Epidemic took the lives of his parents and left him Deaf. Then he met his ASL teacher's mute son, Harry Potter. Edward/Harry.
1. Prologue – Deaf

Prologue – Deaf

"_Blindness separates us from things but deafness separates us from people."_

/Edward/\Harry\

Silent. Everything was quiet, as if someone had muted the world.

What happened? His body felt heavier than lead. With a soft groan, he attempted to open his eyes. Blinding pain overwhelmed him and he gasped, drawing in ragged breaths. After a few moments, determined, Edward Masen opened his eyes and flinched at the bright lights. His head was fuzzy, he felt disoriented, and the world seemed to spin on its own accord. He let out another groan of pain and brought his too-heavy arm up to rub his forehead.

The last thing he remembered was his father getting sick. His mother had been worried, knowing that most of the people that had gotten sick lately died not too long after. Then she'd gotten sick, and he had succumbed to the influenza epidemic almost instantly. Thinking back on before they'd all fallen ill, Edward immediately regretted arguing with his parents.

When his headache had lessened in intensity from sharp stabs to a dull throb, Edward opened his eyes again. He noticed the white sterility of the room and was able to conclude that he was in the hospital. A ghost of a memory flashed across his eyes; it was mostly blurry, but he could vaguely recall someone—probably Mr. Stanley who lived across the street—finding him and his mother in their beds and the illness overcoming them. They'd returned the night before from the hospital after Edward's father was admitted, the doctor's words echoing painfully in their heads.

"_We'll do everything we can, but it doesn't look good. You'd best pay your respects now and say goodbye."_

His mother had been crushed and spent that night weeping. All of a sudden, their fight the day previous wasn't so important. He didn't have any time to apologize, however, before he joined the rest of the Chicago population in the hospital. Edward didn't know how long they'd been there and kept drifting in and out of consciousness. His hearing became muffled before, blissfully, everything _stopped_.

No more noises of the bustling nurses.

No more people screaming in pain.

No more doctors shouting orders.

Nothing.

Edward frowned in confusion. Why _couldn't_ he hear anything?

Fear seized his heart. His breathing deepened and his eyes widened when he found he couldn't hear that either. A nurse walked in and she looked at him sadly, her mouth moving but no words coming out.

_Why couldn't he hear anything?_

The nurse's mouth moved again, and this time a doctor came into the room. He had messy black hair, glasses, and hazel eyes. The doctor tried to speak to him as well, but it fell on deaf ears.

Edward looked devastated. He tried to speak, but he couldn't even hear his own voice. Panic overtook him and a sob escaped his lips. The doctor looked sadly at him before leaving the room.

_Why couldn't he __**hear**__ anything?_

He began thrashing, attempting to get out of the bed, but found his arms and legs held down by hospital personnel that suddenly came rushing into the room. He screamed as loud as he could, but still he could not hear anything. Tears streamed down his face and one of his arms broke free. Edward tried to push the restraining limbs off his person, but very soon the black-haired doctor came back with what he assumed was a sedative.

He shook his head, screaming "No!" at the top of his lungs, angry that he couldn't hear himself. "I want my parents! Get off me!"

The silence was deafening.

Soon he felt the slight sting of the needle entering his arm. Edward's eyes drooped of their own accord, and he tried to fight against it futilely. It wasn't fair.

Eventually his world went dark.

A/N: I wasn't going to post this until the end of _Wish Upon A Star_, but FF dot Net is being really weird (not letting me post the next chapter of _Wish Upon A Star_) and I wanted to make sure I could actually still post stories. So, yeah, this will be a short one. It's around eight chapters and will be posted weekly after _Wish Upon A Star_ and will kinda take second priority to _Pleasant Dreams_ (depending on the response I get). Lemme know what you think. =)


	2. Chapter 1 – Dreaming of Angels

Chapter 1 – Dreaming of Angels

"_Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal."_

/Edward/\Harry\

Edward stared out the window, as he tended to do for the past week and a half. He stared at the sky mostly, wondering what it felt like to be a white, fluffy cloud, so far away and yet at the same time so close. His gaze shifted downward towards the front entrance of the hospital; it was the same as it normally was, with more people coming in than going out. He'd seen it happen enough times to develop a sort of indifference towards it.

Soon, he'd need to leave here. When the other hearing implants failed and the doctors began to lose hope in restoring his hearing, he would need to leave the hospital so that some other poor soul could die in his previously occupied bed. And where would he go with his parents dead?

Well, there was really only one place for _orphans_ without other relatives to go.

Edward scowled, angry that his eyes had watered. He should've died with his parents. He had no idea how to function in a world without them. Or rather, he didn't know how to function in a world when he was _handicapped_. What could he do now? There were no professions where he could actually make a living and function in the world alone. How would he communicate? How would he do _anything_?

Edward felt like screaming, but the thought of not hearing it quelled all desire to do so. If he screamed, they'd only sedate him again so they could go back to working on the inevitably doomed population of Chicago. He had no desire to be put down like some dog.

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped, whirling around in surprise. The nurse gave him a pitying and apologizing look, which he ignored vehemently. He didn't want to be rude, but when she showed him a piece of paper, he couldn't help but frown in disgust. _Lunch time_, the paper read. He nodded his understanding and walked back towards his bed where a tray of the standard hospital food awaited.

He hated having to read what other people could hear. It didn't help that he knew perfectly well how to speak, how words sounded, how he would never hear anything ever again. Hearing aids, implants, they weren't going to work and it seemed like the doctors were just humoring him. Everyone except the black-haired man, oddly enough. He seemed to genuinely care about Edward and really tried to restore his hearing. Edward knew his attempts were in vain, but he appreciated the attempts never-the-less.

It reminded Edward of his own father, always willing to take on a case no matter how dim it looked. He admired his father for that.

A man's hand waved just over his plate of food and Edward looked up. It was the black-haired doctor again, checking on him as he'd done for the past week. He took out a piece of paper and began to write.

'How are you feeling today, Edward?'

Edward shrugged. Same as any other day, really. Parentless, Deaf, filled with loathing—the usual.

The doctor smiled somewhat sadly. 'Is there anything you'd like to talk about?'

Edward glared at his food. What could he talk about? His lack of options, lack of housing, or lack of hearing? Decisions, decisions…

'This might seem somewhat insensitive, but I can promise you that it isn't the end of the world.'

Edward cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.

'There are plenty of things Deaf people can do.'

Edward scoffed; now the doctor was making fun of him, and he didn't appreciate it one bit.

'You can learn sign language.'

Edward blinked and sat up straighter. He gestured for the doctor to hand him the paper and writing utensil. 'Sign language?'

The doctor smiled, taking back the writing materials. 'Yes. American Sign Language does not use sounds like other languages, but rather it requires the user's hands.'

Edward thought about it. What did he have to lose, really? 'I still won't find an acceptable job with my sudden Deafness,' he wrote glumly.

'Edward, you are not the only Deaf person in the world. Plenty of them function just fine.'

Edward flushed slightly, feeling somewhat naïve or maybe even ignorant. He couldn't possibly be the only Deaf person in the world. Hell, maybe there was hope for him. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. His life wasn't supposed to end up like this. It had already been decided that he would go to law school and or medical school. Could he really do that now?

'My wife teaches sign language,' the black-haired doctor wrote, looking at Edward kindly. 'I'm sure we can help you somehow.'

Edward glanced towards the window again, staring at the sky. He shakily reached for the paper and pencil. 'I'll be moved to the Angel Guardian Orphanage soon. I'm not sure if the money my parents left me will even be given to me when I reach my majority. I have no way of paying for such lessons. I don't know how long I'll be at the orphanage or if someone will even bother with me.'

The black-haired doctor looked at his note sadly. 'I'm sure we can work something out, Edward.'

Edward glanced at the doctor. The man seemed to genuinely care about what happened to him after he left the hospital. His eyes glanced towards the name tag pinned to the doctor's white coat, but he quickly snapped his gaze back to his bed. He didn't want to know the doctor's name. Knowing the doctor's name would change things. He might become attached to the doctor, and he was going to the orphanage soon. It would be better to not grow attached to anything for a while.

'I appreciate the thought, but my father taught me to not accept anything that would indebt me,' he wrote back politely, his eyes watering at the thought of his dead father. His body had been cremated, so the illness wouldn't spread. He didn't even have his father's ashes, or his mother's for that matter. He was left alive, and he didn't even have the remains of his parents to hold in a special urn.

'We could work out an agreement,' the doctor insisted. That small, hesitantly amiable smile remained on his face.

Edward narrowed his eyes at the note before writing, 'Why do you care so much?' When they were alive, his parents had warned him that nothing in life was free. Everything was done with a purpose, and he wanted to know why this doctor was treating him so kindly when the rest had been so…clinical.

The doctor's smile turned somewhat sad. 'I have a son about your age,' he wrote back. 'He's been mute since he was ten.'

Edward immediately felt remorseful for having been somewhat harsh with the man, but hardened once more. 'And that makes you want to help me because…?'

The doctor didn't take offense like Edward thought he would. 'I became a doctor because I like to help people. I specifically want to help you because I can feel sympathetic as well as empathetic. It was really hard for my son to deal with his sudden muteness even with me and my wife supporting him, and I can only imagine how much more difficult it could be for you having lost your parents.'

Edward cursed the microscopic dust particles that flew in his eyes and made them water. 'I have to go to the orphanage at the end of the week,' he wrote sadly. 'The chances of you seeing me ever again are slim to none.'

The doctor smiled at him again. 'I'll find you,' he promised. 'I would love to help you, if you'll let me, Edward.'

Edward thought it over. Could he really let this doctor help him? What if it all backfired? What if underneath the kind personality was something _sinister_ that he wasn't quite prepared to face? He glanced at the window and noticed two birds in a nest on the branch outside his window. One of the birds was the parent, obviously, and was encouraging the baby to fly. The baby seemed hesitant, but then flapped its small wings and fluttered an inch in the air.

Edward pondered his situation over. What did he have to lose?

'Okay,' he wrote, shrugging his shoulders. 'If you can find me after I leave for the orphanage, we can work something out.'

The doctor beamed at him. He scribbled something down before reaching into his pocket to pull out a photo. He showed Edward both the picture and the note. 'This is my wife, Lily. She'll be able to teach you American Sign Language. And this is my son, Harry.'

Edward took the photo in both hands and studied it. The woman was beautiful, with a curtain of auburn hair flowing below the edge of the photo. She was beaming at him, her emerald green eyes sparkling happily. Her arms were wrapped around a teenage boy who had the same, but more vibrant, emerald green eyes and hair identical to the doctor. Edward gasped, staring at the boy in wonderment. There was something about him he couldn't quite put his finger on…

The photo was gently taken away from him and he looked up. For the first time, he allowed his eyes to linger over the doctor's nametag. J. Potter. He grabbed the pencil and paper and wrote, 'What does the J stand for?'

'James,' the doctor replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Edward offered him a hesitant smile, hoping against hope that this doctor was a man of his word. He held out his hand and, after a moment of surprise, James shook it. 'Thank you.'

James smiled, his eyes twinkling with a fatherly warmth that made his heart constrict. 'I'll take my leave now. Get some rest, Edward.'

Edward watched as James left, feeling slightly anxious. He rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. Now that his parents were gone, he needed to do something with himself. He needed to persevere and become a man his parents could be proud of. Edward knew this, but he couldn't help feeling lost. How could he grow into a man without his father's help?

Edward squeezed his eyes tighter. He didn't know how he would do it. He felt like he was five years old again, sneaking into his parents' room and dressing in his father's clothes. The shirt was too big, the pants too baggy, and the shoes didn't fit. He didn't belong in man's shoes, yet. His feet weren't large enough, and yet he was alone in this big world with no choice but to don them.

His hand shakily reached up to wipe away tears that escaped. Moments passed in silence, that damned silence that he would never be rid of. Eventually he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

"_Edward…"_

_Edward's eyes widened; he could hear? He turned around and a choked sob escaped him. His mother smiled kindly at him, opening her arms. Without a second thought, he ran into them and cried. "Mom," he murmured._

"_Oh, Edward, you need to be strong," his mother whispered, softly running her hands through his hair._

"_How can I…?" Edward sniffled and shook his head, bowing his head in shame._

_His mother's small, delicate hands cupped his jaw and lifted his chin. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and love. "I'm sorry I left you," she said simply, "but I am so happy you still live."_

"_Where's dad?" Edward asked, looking around for his father but only encountering a numb blankness._

"_We need you to live, Edward," she continued as if he hadn't said anything. "You're our pride and joy. Life, and go forward with your life."_

"_But," Edward began to protest._

_His mother leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Believe in yourself," she whispered as she began to fade. "We've raised you right, Edward. Don't be afraid to trust your instincts."_

"_Mom!" he cried, his eyes widening in horror. "Mom, don't go!"_

"_We love you, Edward," she breathed before disappearing from his dreamscape._

_Edward collapsed onto his knees and cried into his hands._

He jolted awake, tears streaming down his face and sobs escaping. The silence returned and he sniffled pitifully. A small hand was placed on his shoulder and he jerked his head up. Beautiful, emerald green eyes gazed at him worriedly. Edward's brow furrowed in confusion before he realized the boy in front of him was Harry, James' son.

What was Harry doing there?

He hadn't realized he'd spoken it aloud until Harry whipped out a pencil and paper before scribbling, 'I'm visiting my father. You must be Edward.'

Edward flushed slightly and nodded his head, embarrassed, before writing a reply. 'Yes. Sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude.'

Harry grinned slightly, and Edward averted his eyes temporarily. 'That's alright. It isn't any of my business, but I think your parents wouldn't want you to be so sad.' At Edward's confused and mortified expression, he quickly wrote, 'You were talking in your sleep.'

Harry's head suddenly jerked towards the door. Edward recognized the red-haired woman as Harry's mom, and she was speaking to him. Harry signed back before turning towards Edward. 'I have to go now,' he wrote quickly. He offered Edward a smile. 'It was nice meeting you, Edward. I hope I see you again!'

Edward watched as Harry left, and he hesitantly waved at the red-haired woman, Lily, when she smiled in his direction.

_Your parents wouldn't want you to be so sad._

Edward sighed. That wouldn't be nearly enough to make him feel better after his parents' deaths, but he appreciated the attempt. He was slightly nervous about taking another nap, but his eyes begun drooping of their own accord. He eventually drifted back to sleep, dreaming of, oddly enough, angels with emerald green eyes.

A/N: Aaaaah, I''m so happy a lot of people have taken an interest into this. =D I was a tad worried since I haven't encountered any other 'Edward isn't a vampire and there are no Cullens' stories, but I'll do my best. As mentioned before, this story won't be very long. I'm thinking ten chapters at most. To answer most of your questions regarding this story:

-This takes place in 1918. There is no magic. There are no vampires. This means the Cullens all die when they were supposed to (except, of course, Edward who became deaf. And perhaps Alice because she was in a loony bin, but I digress. Basically, everything that occurs in Twilight happens without supernatural interference. Emmett dies of a grizzly attack, Esme commits suicide, etc.) Because this takes place when Edward was supposed to die, there is no Bella. She isn't born yet.

-It will be explained why Harry and the Potters are in America instead of Britain as well as why he knows ASL.

I think that's all. Please review!


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